This invention relates generally to medical diagnostic and training systems and methods, and more particularly, to a system and method for analyzing a region below one or more layers of tissue.
A palpation examination of soft tissue structures is often necessary to obtain an accurate diagnosis for many types of conditions. For example, when treating an abdominal condition, a palpation examination of the abdomen is a critical diagnostic test for determining the appropriate treatment for the condition. These types of palpation examinations provide a wide variety of information, such as the location and intensity of abdominal tenderness, the patient""s voluntary and involuntary reactions to abdominal palpation, presence of rebound tenderness, and the size and presence of masses and abdominal organs. The process for diagnosing conditions of the abdomen is described in greater detail in Friedman, L. S., 1986, xe2x80x9cDiagnosis: Examining the Abdomenxe2x80x9d Hospital Medicine, pp. 99-116 which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Unfortunately, existing techniques for palpation examinations of soft tissue structures have limitations. One of these limitation is that they provide qualitative, rather than quantitative information about the examined region. As a result, to accurately make a qualitative diagnosis based on a palpation examination requires significant experience. If the individual conducting this type of examination lacks the requisite experience, there may be inaccuracies in the resulting diagnosis. Even with significant experience, the qualitative nature of these types of analyses leaves the opportunity for an error in the diagnosis to occur.
An apparatus for analyzing a region below one or more layers of tissue in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a force sensor, a position sensor, and a processing system. The force sensor provides a force signal representative of an amount of force applied to a portion of the one or more layers of tissue which is adjacent to the region. The position sensor provides a position signal representative of the location of the position sensor when the force is applied. The processing system coupled to the force sensor and the position sensor determines at least one property of the region based on the force signal and the position signal.
A method for analyzing a region below one or more layers of tissue in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a few steps. Force is applied to a portion of the one or more layers of tissue which is adjacent to the region. The amount of force applied to the portion of the one or more layers of tissue which is adjacent to the region with a force sensor is determined. The location of a position sensor when the force is applied is determined. The position sensor is located adjacent to the force sensor. At least one property of the region is determined based on the amount of force applied to the portion of the one or more layers of tissue which is adjacent to the region and the location of the position sensor.
The present invention provides a viable tool for accurate measurement of physical deviations of viscoelastic materials and can also be used in the modeling of physically based deformable organs. The present invention can be used across many fields of medicine, from emergency abdominal examinations to breast and thyroid examinations, and as an input device for haptic and tactile feedback devices.
More specifically, the present invention allows medical professionals to non-invasively and quantitatively, measure the properties of human tissue, such as the hardness or softness of the tissue. In particular, precise data on the size, location and stiffness of a region being examined can be collected and analyzed. With this collected data, the material properties of various regions of the human body can be determined. This data can be collected without interfering with the physicians sense of touch during a palpation examination which is important for making an accurate diagnosis. Further, the quantitative nature of the data collection reduces the opportunity for an error in diagnosis and reduces the amount of experience required to perform these types of palpation examinations.